Lavinia watched as Luke reached over for a blanket covering his baby cousin gently.

"He sure is good with him," she said softly to Jesse.

Jesse nodded, wrapping his arms around Lavinia and watching the two boys with a small nod.

"Sure is...gives him somethin' t'focus on I recon...though I wouldn't be surprised if Bo is kinda...markin' his territory now that Luke's got this lil' thing here vying for his attention too.."

Lavinia nodded glancing at the little fawn. "It don't look good Jesse."

"No...but it has improved since it got here..its gonna take time Lavinia...it ain't gonna get better overnight.."

Jesse said softly.

"No," agreed Lavinia. "It won't."

Jesse smiled and kissed the top of her head softly, her arms wrapped around her waist.

"All we can do is look after it, let Luke look after it...and see what happens... a lot of the fight is down t'the fawn.."

Lavinia nodded looking softly at it.

Luke meanwhile held Bo gently pressing a soft kiss to his nose.

The little nose wrinkled a little but Bo didn't wake, sleeping happily in Luke's arms.

Jesse continued to just watch the boys, noticing the contrast of how innocent Bo was and how much more grown up Luke was compared to how he should be. He was innocent but in a different way...he was an innocent victim of many tragic events...

***present***

Jesse sighed shaking his head a little.

Daisy smiled softly.

"So what happened to the fawn..."

Jesse smiled a little. "It survived...lived to follow Luke to school every day for a while there..." he said reflectively.

"Awwww it did...that's so sweet..."

Daisy cooed, looking back over at Bo and Luke

Jesse nodded. "It did... met him by the door too when he come home..."

Daisy smiled, shaking her head softly.

Jesse nodded. "Then one day...it wasn't there waitin'," he said softly.

Daisy looked to him with a small frown.

"What...what happened..."

Jesse looked out to the hills. "Don't know for sure...but I told Luke she likely found herself a buck to go off with...that there is why Luke don't eat venison...or hunt it neither."

Daisy nodded softly, sighing a little.

"Poor Luke..."

Jesse looked to his boys softly. "They both got mighty tender hearts on em...they just show themselves diff'rently.""

Daisy nodded with a sigh.

"You know though...I recon if Luke hadn't gone to 'Nam...then he wouldn't be that much different from Bo..."

Jesse sighed a little. "You may be right, Daisy-girl. War...it takes a lot out of a person...intended or not..."

Daisy just nodded quietly,

At this point, Luke slumped over his arm draped over Bo.

Jesse watched them. "Two peas in a pod...s'what yer aunt always said."

Daisy giggled a little and nodded, watching her two sleeping cousins.

Jesse smiled at them fondly.